Planning Your Time

If you are in town for just a day, your best bet is to take a stroll through Basel's Altstadt, making sure to see the Münster and the sweeping views from the terrace overlooking the Rhine. Art enthusiasts could decide to circle from here directly to the Kunstmuseum, and shoppers may want to head down one of the winding alleyways into the Freie Strasse or the Marktplatz. A leisurely late-afternoon walk across the Mittlere Rheinbrücke and upstream along the sunny Kleinbasel riverside promenade (Oberer Rheinweg) is a good way to see the town in its best light.

If you are sticking around for longer, then take in some of the city's smaller museums, perhaps in the picturesque St. Alban quarter. From here take a ferryboat across the river and head east to the Museum Tinguely. Or organize your day around a trip to Riehen; the Fondation Beyeler's stunningly well-rounded (and beautifully presented) collection of 20th-century art can be reached in a mere 20 minutes by tram.

In summer you could opt to take a boat trip to the Roman ruins of Augusta Raurica in Augst, east of Basel. Or take a driving tour of, or catch a local train to, some of the small villages scattered south of the city, such as Balsthal, Holderbank, Oberer Hauenstein, Langenbruck, and Liestal to experience the more rural delights of the area. Cool off in very hot weather like the locals by taking a dip in the Rhine; swimmers can often be seen from the Mittlere Rheinbrücke, and there are a number of popular bathing spots along the banks.